ABOUT 10 per cent of passenger fares paid by guests travelling on South Sea Cruises’ Yasawa Princess 2 is directed to the Vinaka Fiji Trust for community development projects in the Yasawa Islands.
Vinaka Fiji coordinator Samisoni Ulitu said the organisation worked with the Ba Provincial Office, village development plans, and individual village requests to determine which communities required assistance.
“We work with the provincial office, data from village development plans and requests that are made to our office,” he said.
Vinaka Fiji supports projects aimed at improving basic services and facilities, including water tanks, rainwater harvesting systems, solar lighting, school repairs, and community halls.
Mr Ulitu said the program was funded partly through contributions from visitors’ boat fares.
“It’s taken from our Yasawa Princess 2 guests, usually 10 per cent of their passenger fares,” he said, adding that financial transparency reports can be accessed through their finance team.
Mr Ulitu said local communities also contribute manpower towards projects.
He said water tanks installed under rain-harvesting projects were constructed to withstand tropical cyclones.
“The water tanks are constructed in a more structured way to withstand disasters such as hurricanes. Tanks are anchored, while gutters are secured with clips.”
Mr Ulitu said Vinaka Fiji also supports education and employment initiatives.
